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Thread: New AFI Top 100

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    Los Angeles

    New AFI Top 100

    There is now a new AFI top 100 movie list, and there are some strange moves.

    You can find the link here: http://www.afi.com/tvevents/100years/movies10.aspx

    In my opinion, one of the strangest moves was the dropping of My Fair Lady from the top 100 movies of all time.

  2. #2

    top 100

    I refuse to register to get the list, but I saw a good bit of the show last night and I did have the list from 10 years ago.

    I'm not going to niggle about whether King Kong should be a bit higher and Sound of Music a bit lower, but I do have a few comments, if anybody's interested:

    -- I was happy to see the total of silent films increase from one in 1997 to four this time. All four are worthy -- "Modern Times", "City Lights", "The General" and "Intolerance." Considering that the silent era makes up almost the first quarter of the film century I don't think four is too many. I'd love to see Fairbanks "Thief of Bagdad" added to the list.

    -- I still question the AFI's definition of an American film. "Lawrence of Arabia" is directed by a British director, starring a mostly British cast and shot in Arabia and Britain. It qualifies because it was financed by an American studio. Bridge on the River Kwai has much the same makeup (although William Holden does have a major role) ... I know Kubrick was born in American, but he moved to England in 1962 and lived and worked there for the rest of his life -- from Lolita to Strangelove to Clockwork Orange to 2001. Claiming Kubrick's movies as American makes as much sense as Hungary claiming "Some Like it Hot."

    -- Interesting that "Saving Private Ryan" made the list, but "Shakespeare in Love" didn't -- a reversal of the Academy Award vote.

    -- The only ranking I strongly object to is how low they had "The Searchers" ... it's made the international top 10 for each of the last three votes (which also come every 10 years).

    -- It would have been nice to have at least one documentary ... maybe Flaherty??

    -- The voters were in love with Hitchhttp://www.dukebasketballreport.comhttp://www.dukebasketballreport.comhttp://www.dukebasketballreport.comhttp://www.dukebasketballreport.com ... I think they seriously underrated Ford (he deserves a lot more than "Grapes of Wrath" and "The Searchers")

    The AFI list is interesting, but don't take it too seriously.

  3. #3

    My thoughts

    Clearly, as was said above, this is a subjective list, and nothing (perhaps aside from music) is more subjective than tastes in movies.

    I absolutely love this series and look forward to it every year--the comedies list and the songs list are probably my two favorites aside from this one.

    For my tastes, I have never understood the affection that people have for Raging Bull. I was bored watching it and was shocked to see it rise to number four. I wonder what caused that jump, other than the fact that Scorsese has probably become more of an icon the last 10 years. Likewise, Singing in the Rain has also always bored me--while the dancing is phenomenal, the movie has never done anything for me.

    The best thing about this list is the movies that it gets me to watch. For instance, I have never seen The Searchers but have it on the top of my list at this point. Any thoughts as to why it shot up 80 spots? Likewise new additions like Blade Runner (just a tad before my time) and Sullivan's Travels piqued my interest. And I have been meaning to watch The General ever since the comedy list came out--just looks phenomenal.

    I also noticed a definite political spin to last night's show. I don't know if the arrangement of movies had much to do with that, or that the new commentaries were provided by the Fondas, Dennis Hopper and Martin Sheen.

    All in all, a great program.

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Olympic Fan View Post
    I refuse to register to get the list, but I saw a good bit of the show last night and I did have the list from 10 years ago.
    You might be interested in:

    http://www.bugmenot.com/

    It quickly supplies fake logins to almost any free site that demands you register, including the AFI one.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    About 150 feet in front of the Duke Chapel doors.
    Quote Originally Posted by dcarp23 View Post
    Clearly, as was said above, this is a subjective list, and nothing (perhaps aside from music) is more subjective than tastes in movies.

    I absolutely love this series and look forward to it every year--the comedies list and the songs list are probably my two favorites aside from this one.

    For my tastes, I have never understood the affection that people have for Raging Bull. I was bored watching it and was shocked to see it rise to number four. I wonder what caused that jump, other than the fact that Scorsese has probably become more of an icon the last 10 years. Likewise, Singing in the Rain has also always bored me--while the dancing is phenomenal, the movie has never done anything for me.

    The best thing about this list is the movies that it gets me to watch. For instance, I have never seen The Searchers but have it on the top of my list at this point. Any thoughts as to why it shot up 80 spots? Likewise new additions like Blade Runner (just a tad before my time) and Sullivan's Travels piqued my interest. And I have been meaning to watch The General ever since the comedy list came out--just looks phenomenal.

    I also noticed a definite political spin to last night's show. I don't know if the arrangement of movies had much to do with that, or that the new commentaries were provided by the Fondas, Dennis Hopper and Martin Sheen.

    All in all, a great program.
    I envy you your first viewing of "The Searchers", possibly my favorite Western of all time, and "Blade Runner", which I consider to be the best science fiction film ever made. Both are very high on my list, of course.

    Some things to look for: In "The Searchers", watch John Wayne's performance closely. I think it's his finest work. And enjoy the cinematography - it's a beautiful film. (I especially love how they shot the final scene.) In "Blade Runner", I recommend watching the director's cut, which adds a scene or two, deletes one sequence (at least) and eliminates the voice over by Ford that was added at the studio's insistence. (Seems they thought that the audience needed more hand-holding than Ridley Scott did.) Enjoy the soundtrack by Vangelis, which I think is a masterpiece, and, again, the cinematography is exquisite.

    I own the DVD for both of these films. Just writing a little about them is making me think it's been too long since I've watched them... If you live in the DC area, send me a message!
    JBDuke

    Andre Dawkins: “People ask me if I can still shoot, and I ask them if they can still breathe. That’s kind of the same thing.”

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Ashburn, VA
    Quote Originally Posted by darthur View Post
    You might be interested in:

    http://www.bugmenot.com/

    It quickly supplies fake logins to almost any free site that demands you register, including the AFI one.
    I tried all five it offered to read that heraldsun.com article linked on the frontpage - but none worked

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    New Jersey
    Quote Originally Posted by Olympic Fan View Post
    -- The voters were in love with Hitchhttp://www.dukebasketballreport.comhttp://www.dukebasketballreport.comhttp://www.dukebasketballreport.comhttp://www.dukebasketballreport.com ... I think they seriously underrated Ford (he deserves a lot more than "Grapes of Wrath" and "The Searchers")
    I LOVE what DBR does to Alfred Hitchco*k's name. That's classic.
    Rich
    "Failure is Not a Destination"
    Coach K on the Dan Patrick Show, December 22, 2016

  8. #8

    great movies ... fun movies

    Quote Originally Posted by dcarp23 View Post
    For my tastes, I have never understood the affection that people have for Raging Bull. I was bored watching it and was shocked to see it rise to number four. I wonder what caused that jump, other than the fact that Scorsese has probably become more of an icon the last 10 years. Likewise, Singing in the Rain has also always bored me--while the dancing is phenomenal, the movie has never done anything for me.

    The best thing about this list is the movies that it gets me to watch. For instance, I have never seen The Searchers but have it on the top of my list at this point. Any thoughts as to why it shot up 80 spots? Likewise new additions like Blade Runner (just a tad before my time) and Sullivan's Travels piqued my interest. And I have been meaning to watch The General ever since the comedy list came out--just looks phenomenal.
    The great film critic Pauline Kael once wrote about the difference between a historically great movie and a great movie. She was suggesting that "Citizen Kane" was the most entertaining of all the so-called great movies.

    There are movies you have to sit through if you want to be considered an educated film buff. But don't expect to be entertained by "Birth of a Nation" or "Battleship Potemkin."

    Of course, as we've all said, all of this is taste -- I have a friend who thinks "Chicago" is the best musical of modern times, while I despise it ... I love "Moulin Rouge" and my friend hates it.

    That said, I have no hesitation in urging you to see "The Searchers" -- both a great film and a great entertainment (and a film that inspired a hit song by Buddy Holley!). "The General" is a delight -- much more accessable, I think, to a modern viewer than any of Chaplin's classics (which I admire more than I like). I also love "Blade Runner" and agree that the director's cut is superior.

    The thing is, once you stumble into these things, it's hard to stop. If you enjoy "The General" then you'll have to see "The Navigator" and "Sherlock, Jr." That might lead you to the third of the great silent clowns. To be honest, I'm not as fond of Harold Lloyd's "Safety Last" or "Speedy" (although the latter has a great extended cameo by Babe Ruth), but if you ever stumble onto his two great, but forgotton sound comedies -- "Professor Beware" and "The Sin of Harold Diddlebock" -- you'll be amazed and delighted.

    The latter is directed by Preston Sturges, whose masterpiece is "Sullivan's Travels." It is indeed one of the great films ever made and one of the most entertaining. But I'm not sure it's all that much better than Sturges' "Hail the Conquerering Hero" or "The Miracle of Morgan's Creek" or "The Lady Eve" (with Henry Fonda like you've never seen him before).

    If you don't love Sturges' comedies, then you are as sick as my friend who likes "Chicago?!

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